Stafford, VA. Deputies with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office arrested a suspect on Thursday for petit larceny after he stole two dealer tags from vehicles at Manheim Auto Auction in the southern end of the county.

On May 3, 2018, Deputy M.L. Jacobeen responded to 120 Auction Drive in reference to a dealer tag stolen from a vehicle in the parking lot. Upon arrival, the deputy met with the complainant who advised that his Washington D.C. dealer tags were taken from his vehicle while he was in the building. The complainant had arrived at the auto action around 8:45 a.m. and noticed the tags were missing around 12:40 p.m. when he returned to his vehicle.

In speaking to the security manager, the deputy learned there was another report of a dealer tag stolen from a vehicle earlier that day. In addition, there had recently been several reports of missing dealer tags and the security manager suspected the driver of a Toyota 4-Runner might be involved.

The deputy and security manager reviewed security video footage and identified the suspect. When the deputy was leaving the building, he saw an individual matching the physical description of the suspect. He was identified as Stanley Leon Cooper, 56, of Fort Washington, MD by his Maryland driver’s license. Cooper told the deputy he was a dealer there to sell a vehicle.

Initially, the suspect denied stealing any dealer tags. However, the deputy observed what he suspected to be the stolen license plate in the back of the suspect’s vehicle, a Toyota 4-Runner. The deputy obtained a search warrant and a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed the reported stolen tags from that day as well as two Maryland motorcycle tags, a Virginia tag, two Pennsylvania temporary tags, and two West Virginia temporary tags.

The suspect was taken into custody and incarcerated at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond. He is charged with petit larceny and possession of burglary tools.